down on capitol hill. a key witness in the impeachment inquiry ask just hours from testifying. as president says republicans need to get ugher. he's also attacking mitt romney and praising democrats. sort . >> i think they're lousy politicians. but two things they have. they're vicious. and they stick together. they don't have mitt romney in their midst. a tentative cease-fire hours from expiring. will the turks resume the shelling of our former u.s. allies, the kurds.

we're live in the region where tensions are simmering today. an inferno overtakes a heavily populated area of los angeles. we're tracking the fire danger this morning. and the record breaking flight from new york to australia. over 19 hours in the air and the cutting ways they're preventing jet lag. "early today" starts now. good tuesday morning. the impeachment inquiry will intensify this morning with testimony from the top diplomat to the ukraine. in text messages this month bill taylor sounded the alarm about the white house holding back military aid to ukraine. it comes as the republicans try to rally support against the democrats. what can we expect from today's testimony today? >> reporter: lawmakers want to know why taylor wrote the text

message sounding the alarm. remember, he is the ambassador to ukraine, he was the insider questioning why this aid was being withheld. here is the text message that he wrote to gordon sondland saying, as i said on the phone, i think it's crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign. sort of pinpointing the issue that democrats want to get to there. obviously the president, the white house have denied there was any quid pro quo going on with withholding the aid and t getting ukraine to investigate the bidens. in fact, president trump is saying this entire impeachment inquiry isn't warranted. >> this is a phony investigation. republicans have to get tougher and fight, we have some that are great fighters but the republicans have to get tougher and fight because the democrats are trying to hurt the party.

they're vicious and stick together. they don't have mitt romney in their midst. >> reporter: while they continue to gather evidence and interview witnesses, democrats are talking about whether they're moving toward an impeachment vote. people family with the investigations tell us the focus seems to be keeping it simple, one charge of abuse of power for president trump in the abuse of ukraine. back to you. breaking news in the middle east the cease-fire in syria has ended but it ended in furry as kurdish troops have pelted u.s. troops. but some say u.s. troops could stay in syria to protect oil fields.

joining us is erin mclaughlin. >> reporter: the withdrawal continue s out of syria into iraq. it could take weeks not days. troops were being withdrawn but troops would remain in position to guard syria's oil fields from isis attacks. this as viral video shows local kurds hurling potatoes at a moving american convoy in protest. others are holding up signs pointing to betrayal by the u.s. and russian president vladimir putin is stepping in to fill the void. president airediof turkey is flo

sochi later to meet with vladimir putin. we are learning more about the power of storms that swept across the south. in lht of day, people began to assess the damage of an ef-3 tornado that hit dallas. gabe gutierrez has the report. >> reporter: the trail of destruction stretches across 20 miles across dallas. this home depot shredded. >> it's scary what could happen in six seconds. >> reporter: she huddled with her family in this bedroom. >> werabbed the bed and put it on top of us. that's what we thought about. >>orter: the storm launched debris three miles in the air. as rescuers rushed door-to-door searching for survivors. the home obliterated this warehouse and blew this debris into the apartment complex. incredibly, no one was seriously

injured. >> we should consider ourselves fortunate that we did not lose any lives. >> reporter: but the storm system turned deadly in oklahoma and arkansas, at least two people were killed by debris. back in tens of thousands were left without electricity, crews dangled from helicopters to repair power lines. look at the damage, what went through your head? >> there's no words. >> reporter: he's still in shock. >> did not expect this. >> reporter: the national weather service has confirmed this tornado was an ef-3 packing winds up to 140 miles an hour. look at all the damage it did the to this neighborhood and now the severe weather threat is extending into tuesday for parts of the east coast. >> gabe gutierrez for us. gabe, thank you. residents in los angeles are

on high alert as firefighters are fighting a fire in the palisades neighborhood. it started out small but quickly gained traction. estimations are it's burned 38 acres. crews are using helicopters to drop waters on the flame. so far no word on what started it. we turn to hong kong where officials are facing backlash after the most recent round of protests. leaders apologized for using water cannon at a religious site. we're joined by janice, who's in hong kong. 've sn these images and it seems the protests are becoming more and more destructive. >> reporter: well, 20 weeks in, francis and a new flash point this past weekend as protesters

were going near the city's biggest mosque. it was sprayed by a police water cannon, so it was doused in that blue died liquid they use to disperse crowds. this had officials moving quickly to apologize to them. we visited the mosque yesterday, there's still a hint of the ting. the protesters are holding this up as the latest example of what they call heavy tactics and harha harsh tactics being used by police. we had a week where police weren't using any weapons to break up protests but this week saw a return of the tear gas, pepper spray to disperse the crowds. protesters are ramping up as

well, setting up barricades and fires, and targeting businesses and banks that are seen to have ties to mainland china, bank of china windows have been smashed, atms smashed. protesters continue to push through for their demand for broader political rights as well as protesting what they see as heavy police tactics and what they want is accountability. and at 20 weeks in there are no signs of this letting up. francis. >> thank you so much. after making history in space, astronauts jessica mere and christina koch open up. >> we have just the utmost appreciate to those who paved the way for where we are today.

and pay home acknowledage to th. >> i remember looking down and seeing my boots below, it was a spectacular and beautiful sight. it was quite overwhelming. >> those moments are going to continue as long as they're up there. just amazing to see what they've done. >> yes. especially for young girls to know anything is possible. we'll continue to watch the weather story expand across the east and ohio valley. confirmation of the ef-3 in dallas, also memphis an ef-1 as the system continues to slice to the east, it's starting to lose its force but you can count on the torrential rain, damaging wind gusts across carolinas and virginias. look at this rainfall.

not going to be a ton but at least a n sunshine as they recover across texas. there's a lot of dry air behind that front so the fire danger is heightened. we'll look at that coming up. in today's quick hits, starbucks is going spooky for october they created the phantom frappuccino. you have to go to europe to get one beginning on the 26th of october. the new orleans pelicans announced that zion williamson will be off the court six to eight weeks, about 20 games

after under going surgery. theb emirates it's estimated to be,0 years old and will be on display inned about. abu dhabi ...and choose any car in the aisle. and i don't wait when i return, thanks to drop & go. at national, i can lose the wait...and keep it off. looking good, patrick. i know. (vo) go national. go like a pro. ♪upbeat musieverything was so fresh in the beginning. [sniff] ♪ dramatic music♪ but that plug quickly faded. ♪upbeat music luckily there's febreze plug. it cleans away odors and freshens for 1200 hours. [deep inhale]

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it's the destiny of a jedi >> your destiny. >> the best christmas present star wars fans could ask for how about a new movie? "star wars: the rise of skywalker. an australian airline has set a record for the longest nonstop commercial passenger flight from new york to sidney in a little over 19 hours. it was all in name of research here's nbc's tom costello tom costello . >> congratulations from your

inauguration history flight to sydney. >> reporter: 9:30 p.m. in new york as the project takes off for down under a s hour research flight to monitor passengers and pilots >> we've got an eeg. so that's measuring my brain wave activity. i've got a light meter so that's measuring the abient light related to our melatonin levels. >> reporter: in the passenger cabin it's all about fighting jet lag. they stay in sync with sydney where it's already lunchtime, adding special meals and exercise. >> we're really trying to trick our bodies. >> we are tricking our bodies at the moment because we're flying west we are delaying our sleep. >> reporter: they want to make this longest flight a regular service, but must first prove pilots can work 22 hours or longer sleeping in shifts. >> 19 hours in coach could be miserable, so quantis is talking about giving more people leg room and taking out a whole

bunch of seats to create an area to exercise and play with children. >> we know people want the convenes of avoiding stopping. they want to fly direct. >> reporter: at 5:30 a.m. east coast time, the cabin finall goes dark with 11 more hours to go it's 2:30 p.m. on the east coast. it's 5:30 a.m. in sidney and somewhere out over the pacific ocean the sun is starting to come up. >> we expect to have you touching down in sydney just after 7:30 >> reporter: finally, 19 hours and 16 minutes later, record broken flight 7879 lands. tom costello, nbc news, sydney. >> it's amazing what we'll put ourselves through just to save a few hours. >> knock out a lot of netflix and amazon prime shows >> binge the whole time. just ahead, touching tribute to carrie fisher on what would have been her 63rd birthday. and a change of heart in the

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tribute to her mom carrie fisher on what would have been her 63rd birthday she says "american girl" was one of her mom's favorite songs and likes to do things to honor her by doing things her mom would love to do. felicity huffman, four more parents have reversed course and pleaded guilty for their role. after first fighting the charges. this comes after fears of more charges and potential jail time. here's miguel almaguer >> reporter: facing the pressure of a conviction four parents charged in the college admission scandal reversed course. walking into federal court to change their pleas from not guilty to guilty with each facing fraud and money laundering charges, "the l.a. times" reports prosecutors turned up the heat, threatening to file an additional bribery charge which if convicted would likely mean more time behind bars

but despite the possibility of additional felony counts, 16 parents, including hollywood celebrities lori loughlin and her fashion designer husband are keeping their pleas of not guilty moving closer toward trial. >> make no mistake, this is not a case where parents were acting in the best interests of their children. >> reporter: with more parents now headed to prison, cameras captured actress felicity huffman in her new role of federal inmate seen in the green prison jumpsuit, huffman spent time with husband william h. macy and her daughter over the weekend. a long way from hollywood, huffman's stint behind bars comes to an end this weekend this as some parents admit guilt and others get ready for a high-stakes legal showdown miguel almaguer, nbc news, new york just ahead, janessa is watching the fire danger out west. and a picture worth 1,000 words of support the photo of a hardworkiur

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all eyes on the impeachment inquiry into president trump after top diplomat to ukraine bill taylor testifies before the house. in text messages made public earlier this month, taylor sounded the alarm about the white house holding back military aid to ukraine to, quote, help with a political campaign. the world series kicks off tonight deep in the heart of texas. the houston astros will welcome the washington nationals at minute maid park it is the nats' first time ever in the fall classic. tiger woods is back in the swing of things after undergoing knee surgery at the end of ago

the 43-year-old golf legend says no doubt he'll be ready for thursday's first round of the pga's first official money event in japan. this morning, the sacrifice of those who served is summed up in one powerful picture of a nurse in the dallas area this image has gone viral and touched the hearts of thousands online nbc's katie beck has the story >> reporter: a hard day at work most of us have had one, but there's a deeper story behind this nurse's tough shift. >> i think it was just the first stages of grief for me. >> reporter: after work, labor and delivery nurse katie nixon was grieving another family's loss, a stillborn baby she had helped to deliver. she went to her sister laura's for some comfort >> she just plopped down on that chair. you can just tell she's kind of defeated and tired. >> reporter: laura took the picture of katie sitting sadly in scrubs. she posted it to facebook. can we just give it up for nurses for a minute, she wrote, describing how her sister had

worked 53 hours in four days and so much caring for others, nurses forget they need care, too. ending her post, you bless your patients and their families more than you will ever know. a viral flood of online encouragement. katie, you are what i call a hero bless all nurses katie grateful for the support can't imagine doing anything else. >> i have loved every minute of it. >> reporter: a hard day can't compete with a full cart katie beck, nbc news >> all of us i think know a nurse that has touched their lives in some way. >> great perspective every time you walk into a hospital or doctor's office. >> yeah. >> got to be able to look at them that way. >> shout-out. these pilots need stomachs of steel to withstand the topsy-turvy maneuvering you're seeing fighter jets perform daring flips and twists during a five-day air show in china held to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the chinese people's liberation army air

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